Isolation
by JessicaaC15
Summary: "I picked up one of the millions of papers lying in the black bin next to the typewriter. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. This phrase repeated over and over again until it stamped my mind. Isolation is making him insane..." (Jack/OC)
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, I'm going to keep this short and sweet so I don't bore anyone, but this story is based off the movie "The Shining". I put a bit of a twist on it so instead of it taking place in the '80s, it's going to take place in present time at the same Overlook hotel as in the movie. Also, instead of Jack, Wendy, and Danny being at the hotel, it's just going to be Jack and Carly (an OC I came up with). So this is basically going to be what happens between the two of them while they're at the Overlook hotel in the winter.**

 **(I also recommend this book for people 16 and up because it has some explicit language and intense scenes. So please read at your own risk. I also don't own The Shining movie or book or any characters it.) Enjoy! :)**

I turned the corner, the first leg of the road up to the hotel. Turned another corner, more road. Two more corners, more road. I sat back in the driver's seat of my car, sighing and gripping the steering wheel. This seemed like it was going to take a _long_ time. I turned on the radio and listened to music while I examined the area; all I saw were trees and rocks. It scared me a bit, I have to admit, just knowing I'll be up at this mountain all by myself for five months. I don't even know what I was thinking when I sent the application, I guess I wanted to have a getaway. I turned another corner and finally, there it was. The Overlook Hotel. It looks much bigger in person than it did on the pictures on the website. I drove up to the front of the hotel and parked my car. Getting out, I examined it once more, it took my breath away. I've never seen anything so _huge_ in my life. I made my way inside, carefully climbing each step and pulling open the huge doors. I stepped into the lobby and was immediately surprised at all the workers running back and forth. Some were carrying things to different rooms and some were just sitting at desks typing on computers. I made my way to the front counter and nicely introduced myself. "Hi, I'm Carly Sinkens. I have an appointment to meet with Mr. Ullman." The woman gave a slight smile and typed something on her computer. "Mr. Ullman will be ready in just a few minutes. You can take a seat over there." She pointed to a little seating area just across from the counter. I thanked her and took a seat in one of the comfy chairs. From where I was sitting, I could see the view of the sky. White snow powdered around, illuminating every detail of the outside. Just... breathtaking. "Hi, you must be Carly?" I look over to see a tall man wearing a gray suit making his way towards me. He had lightly gray hair with dark green eyes. I stood and shook his hand. "Yes. And you must be Mr. Ullman?" He nodded with a slight smile. A few wrinkles appeared around the corners of his lips and creased around his cheeks. He nodded his head in the direction to a back room. "My office is right back here. There's someone I'd like you to meet." My brows furrowed in confusion when he said this. I didn't know I was going to meet anyone although I didn't really mind. We made it to his office door and turned the knob. As I was about to step in, a man about the same age as me, early 30s, turned around in his seat to face us. He had light brown hair with light green eyes that caught your attention, that stopped your tracks, that froze you. He gave me a slight smile and dimples appeared on his cheeks. "Carly, this is Jack. He's also submitted an application for being the caretaker." I swallowed a little lump in my throat and managed to take a seat in one of the comfy chairs next to Jack just like the ones in the seating area. "I'm Jack Torrance. Nice to meet you." He reached out his hand and I politely shook it. "I'm Carly... Carly Sinkens. Nice to meet you too." I stuttered a little and turned to Mr. Ullman's desk. "Not to be a bother or anything -"

"Please, call me Stuart." He cut off with a slight smile. I nodded and crossed my legs. "Um, I was just wondering but... I was under the impression only one caretaker could look over the hotel." I wasn't trying to be a bitch or anything, I was just confused. I sort of regretted saying this after the words flew out my mouth. I probably hurt Jack's feelings. I instantly turned to look at him and he seemed fine. "Not that I don't want to be at the hotel with you... I... I..." He simply gave a slight chuckle and shook his head. "Carly, it's okay. You're just confused." I gave a slight laugh with him. "I just didn't want to sound like a bitch or anything." He smiled wide at me. "No, you don't sound like a bitch at all." I smiled wide at my hands that laid in my lap... I also blushed a bit too and I don't know if he noticed or not, but I think I saw him looking out of the corner of my eye. "You two seem to be getting along well." Stuart joined in the conversation. "Well, I was looking over both of your applications and you both seem to fit the criteria _perfectly_ to look over this hotel. So if you both agree to this, you can just sign a few papers and I'll give you a tour." Jack and I both had to sign a few waivers just explaining about rules and safety information. I read the first page to make sure I understood what the papers were saying. Then after that, I just blew through the rest of the pages and just signed my name, handing them back to Stuart Ullman.

"Now this is the kitchen." Stuart opened two metal doors and walked in. Of course, just like the lobby, there were workers everywhere. There were a few times where I got bumped around from people rushing to get everything in cabinets. Shit, these people really do need a break for the winter. At one point I just about got knocked over by a guy carrying two baskets of food and Jack had to catch me by my arms before I hit ethe ground. "I'm sorry for all the workers. They're just preparing everything before they leave for five months." He looked around a little aggravated. Jack gave me a look that dignified as "Oh, ok." and I stifled a laugh. His eyebrows went high above his forehead and his lips pursed together. It was the most perfect expression I've ever seen. Stuart showed us a huge pantry room stocked with shelves of packaged and canned food. "This is your food storage, but there's more where that can from." My mouth dropped as I looked up to the top shelves. "Holy shit. It's like we're in food heaven." Stuart cracked a laugh and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I guess you could say that. Now all this food in the kitchen should be plenty for five months for you both." Jack turned his head to Stuart with his eyebrows raised. "It's more than enough." I smiled and looked at Jack while he wasn't looking.

I think I'm going to like staying here with him.

 **So this was the first chapter! I'm really exscited to continue writing this and to get further into the story. I will post the second chapter as soon as I can. I hope you guys like it so far and if you want, leave a comment. Thank you! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Eventually it was time for me to pack things up and make my way back to the hotel. It's been about two weeks since I had my appointment with Mr. Ullman. The only thing I found weird since I left the hotel was that I kept getting a weird vibe; probably just because its halls are like a maze and it's isolated on the top of a mountain. I shook it off and told myself a few times, "Think positive, think positive, think positive." It gave me that slight hint of comfort that calmed me, but raised my temperature later on. But the idea of Jack being with me for the next five months kicked in and instantly relaxed my muscles. At least there'll be some human contact.

When I arrived at the hotel later on, it was much different than my last visit. It was way quieter than before. No workers, no loud yelling, and no chaos. It was just... quiet. It was a strange kind of quiet you could say. But to me, I didn't mind it. I sometimes need quiet every now and then to collect my thoughts. It did scare me though when Mr. Ullman led me to my room on the second floor. The clacking of our shoes down the long hallways was a bit terrifying. It echoed throughout the whole hotel, bouncing around from wall to wall and adding a creepy hollowness to the air. My body shook as we made it to my room and there was a wooden door with silver numbers nailed into the brown wood that read 114.

"Jack has room 120, right down the hall. So if anything happens, you two aren't that far from each other." I turned to him with full alert written on my face. "What do you mean, 'if anything happens?'" I felt a little nervous and worried now. I don't want to sleep somewheren I know isn't safe. Mr. Ullman looked a bit taken back by my response and instantly bowed his head. "You obviously haven't heard..." He whispered in a low voice. My face turned in confusion and I crossed my arms. "What? What haven't I heard? What aren't you telling me?" My voice rose a bit and I quickly took a deep breath. "What happened?" I asked in a low voice. He looked back up and rubbed a hand across his face. "1970... 46 years ago... There was a husband and wife with their two twin daughters who were caretakers here." He took a deep breath and carried on. "I guess... the husband... went insane. He- he killed his twin daughters and wife... Police found the daughter's bodies on the third floor just near room 217. There was blood everywhere. It was... _horrific_." Mr. Ullman cleared his throat and rubbed his sweaty palms on his black dress pants. I didn't know how to react to this story. "So.. Are you saying that... I should be cautious of their spirits still lingering the hotel?" His head shot towards me and shrugged. "That's not for me to tell you, Carly. It's all based on what you think. Do you believe in ghosts... spirits?" I shrugged at his question and rubbed my arms. "I mean, yeah, I guess... But I don't know how to feel about _this..._ I wish you could've told me two weeks ago, though." He sighed and shifted his feet as if he was uncomfortable. "I was going too but I wasn't sure what to say or do... But I also tried to assume that you knew the story." I snickered a little. "I clearly didn't." I looked around the walls and took in all its beautiful pictures and designs. "Does Jack know the story too?" I asked a little wearily, looking to the floor. Mr. Ullman nodded in response. "Yeah, he's heard about it." I swallowed hard and readjusted my backpack. "So... then why do you still have caretakers here after what happened?" He shrugged and answered. "Well, it happened so long ago. We have to move on and forget." By the slight tone of his voice, I could tell I should just drop the subject. So instead of asking more questions, I opened the bedroom door and walked inside, taking in a full view. It was small, but cozy. There was a wooden bed laid up against the middle wall from where I was standing with red sheets already laid, a closet on the left side of the room, and a bathroom which was neatly cleaned. I laid my bags on the bed and rested my hands on my hips, looking around the room one more time. Mr. Ullman was standing at the door and I turned to look at him. "I like it. Very nice and cozy." He nodded in agreement and I turned for another glance. This is where I'll be sleeping for the next five months...

Back at the lobby, I watched as Jack finally made his way in through the doors. He was lugging bags which Mr. Ullman quickly helped with and set them aside. "Hey," Jack smiled as his face turned to see mine and I replied in a soft voice, "Hi," Even though it's only been two weeks, it felt like forever since I've seen him. I watched as he took in all the details and designs of this huge hotel. He seemed surprised, happy, and just in shock. "Love this place. It's... _beautiful_." He lifted his arms to emphasize and my lips turned into a soft smile. "Well, the backstory isn't..." He turned back around and shrugged with a sigh. "I know. It's horri-"

"We have to forget and move on."

Jack and I instantly turned to Mr. Ullman, who I almost forgot for a second was standing there. His face had annoyance and anger written all over it. Oops, I forgot. He doesn't like talking about it, I guess. "That happened 46 years ago. Please, _move_ _on_." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jack taken by surprise. I think we were both thinking the same thing; he was not like this at the appointment two weeks ago. "I'm... I'm sorry, Mr. Ullman. We didn't mean to disturb you..." Mr. Ullman nodded his head and clasped his hands behind his back. "Well I'll leave you two then." He nodded to both of us and started to make his way to the doors, but stopped short. "Any last questions for me?" He asked out as he slowly turned around and switched his eyes from Jack then to me. We both shook our heads and stood there a little uncomfortably. He nodded and fixed his tie. "Very well then. Enjoy your stay at the Overlook." We both watched as he turned and headed out the doors, letting them slam behind him. The first words out of my mouth were," What the fuck just happened." Jack laughed at my reaction and crossed his arms. "Talk about fucking weird. I've never seen him like that before." I looked up to him and let out a laugh which he quickly joined in too. "Whatever. Just forget it. He's probably trying to scare us." He rested his hand on my arm and gave it a quick squeeze, comforting me. I smiled at the warmth and hoped I could get more, but he removed his hand and coldness set in place. He walked back to where his luggage was and hoisted them up into his arms. "Do you know where our bedrooms are? Mr. Ullman was acting too strange for me to even ask." He smiled and readjusted one of his bags. "Oh! Yeah, follow me. Mr. Ullman showed me mine just before you got here. I have room 114 and you have 120. He said we were right near each other just in case anything happens." I added air quotes to the last part and slightly laughed to myself. "What does he mean by that?" I heard as he made his way beside me and I shrugged. "I don't know. Ghosts still being haunted by what happened here, I guess. That's what he was implying towards." I reached over and grabbed one of Jack's bags that were about to fall out of his arms. "Thanks. So, ghosts?" He recapped, confusion burrowed on his face. I nodded. "Yup... Do you believe in them?" I asked wearily to him and he shrugged with a deep breath. "I don't know... Do you?" Now he was looking at me, his eyebrows raised and his green eyes staring intently into my blue ones. It gave shivers that traveled down my spine and I shrugged as well. "Well, here's your room." I turned the knob and pushed open the door. Once we were inside, we dropped all of his bags on his bed. His room was a little different than mine, just a few things changed but everything was mostly the same. "Did you already unpack?" Jack asked curiously as he sat on the bed, running his hand over the sheets. "No, my bags are on my bed still, unopened." I shot him a smile and stared down at my hands and started to play with my fingers. The events of the day started to catch up on me and I suddenly felt mentally exhausted. Jack's attention turned to me and I could feel his gaze. "Carly... You okay?" I heard him ask. I nodded and lifted my head to meet his eyes. Something in his eyes were... _powerful_... Took everything out around me away... I pursed my lips and looked around. "I'm just... tired. Ya know, everything that happened so far... It's just.. exhausting." He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Hey, try not to think about the incident that happened here. Everything's okay now." He nodded to me with a reassuring smile. I want to stay here, I really do. But after hearing that backstory, it just... freaked me out. What if Mr. Ullman is right? What if there are still ghosts around here? I almost wanted to back out after hearing that story earlier today, but I urged myself to stay.

I put away a good portion of my clothes before I passed out in bed. I snuggled in between the covers and pulled them up to my chin, feeling comfortable and warm. And before I knew it, I was in a deep state of slumber.

 **So that's chapter two! :) I promise the story will** **get better. I'll post chapter** **3 very soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

I woke up the next morning around 9:30AM; I've been sleeping for almost twelve hours. I make my way down the hall and pass by Jack's room whose door is slightly opened. I peak my head in and he's not there. I continue down the hall and make my way down the stairs as the lobby comes into view. With each step I take down the stairwell, I hear clacking sounds of typing echoing across the lobby.

 _Click_

 _Click_

 _Click_

 _Click_

I finally reached the lobby ground and made my way to a wide dining table that Jack was sitting at with a typewriter sitting in front of him. A smile reached my face as I approached him. "What'cha doing?" I asked as I crossed my arms, examining the typewriter. "Writing." He plainly said, his fingers tapping a few more words before turning his attention to me. I watched as the white keys rejected down then up again as Jack hit them. I haven't seen a typewriter in a long, long time. "You're using a typewriter to write? Why don't you just use a computer?" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "They disconnect the Internet for the winter." I leaned against the table and sighed. "Are you serious? That sucks." I groaned and straightened my back. "What are you writing anyways?" I tilted my head in a questioning way. A slight smile formed on his lips as he pushed the platen to the side to type again. "I'm writing a story. I've always had a passion for writing and I thought, maybe I could succeed now." He leaned against the chair with a huffed breath, almost like something instantly started bothering him. "What's wrong? You seem... bothered." My words come out a little scratchy as concerned crossed my face. "I... used to be an English teacher... I was good too... before alcohol hit." He stated out, staring to his hands that now laid in his lap. "Are you... recovered?" My voice was low and soft as I looked to his face. I actually got a good look at him. His eyebrows laid just above his eyes, both pointed up then sharply curved to a down position. His eyes were cast downward, but I could still catch a glimpse of his pupils. They were a nice shade of dark green, and his eyelashes stuck out just enough to see his eyes. I watched as he pursed his lips to reply and I snapped back into reality. "Yeah, I haven't had any alcohol for five years." His face immediately lightens up with a big smile. It warms me up inside and I find myself smiling too. He looks so proud of himself and I suddenly feel glad. "I'm glad for you, Jack. That's a very brave and strong thing for you to do." He nods in agreement and sits forward in his chair, seeming ready to engage in conversation. "Enough about me. What about you?" He folds his hands on the table and turns his head to get a better look at my face. I meet his eyes and feel as if I'm frozen. It's almost like his eyes are... evaluating me, reading my whole life. "Oh... me?" I let out a nervous laugh and clear my throat, wondering where to start. "Well... I was born in Vermont but moved to New York when I was about two. I'm an only child and my mom died when I was five from cancer. My dad took care of me then and tried his best to stay strong after my mom died." I swallowed and continued on. "When I graduated high school, I went to college in Vermont, graduated from there and got my own apartment and have been living on my own since with a good waitressing job." I slowly met Jack's eyes and he smiled slightly, leaning back. "So did you take this caretaker job 'cause you were tired of seeing the same thing over and over again?" I bit my lip and swallowed again, nodding slightly. It's like he just read my mind. "Actually, yeah, I did. I wanted to have a new experience. I wanted to see new things." Jack stood up now, looking to his typewriter then to me. "You're an interesting person, Carly. I like you." He smiled more, dimples showing on both of his cheeks. I almost stuttered as he said this and I scratched my arm a bit nervously. "But you're more interesting." I tested him, my lips curving up. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and stifled a low laugh. "Thanks."

I had dreams about Jack that night. Long, detailed dreams. I woke up the next morning smiling to myself, thinking that my dreams actually happened. They were so vivid it was like I could reach out and touch them. It made me wonder about my feelings for Jack. I think I like him more than I know.

~ 2 weeks later~

It's been about two weeks since Jack and I have been at the hotel. Everything's been going good, Jack and I have gotten to know more about each other as he continued with his writing. At some times I would come down to the lobby and help him with it by giving him tips and pointers. But other times I would leave him by himself to write on his own. He seemed like he didn't mind though whenever I disrupted him, but I felt bad.

Last night, there was a snowstorm that left about four feet of snow around the hotel. We were prepared; we somehow got the weather channel on the T.V to work properly so we could do whatever we could to stay warm. But this morning, Jack and I were awoken to a huge thump at the front door. Him and I instantly thought that someone or something was trying to break into the hotel. He grabbed a bat from a nearby closet and we slowly and cautiously approached the front doors. When we got there, I grabbed the door handle and turned it, trying to push it open with all my strength. But to no avail, it wasn't opening. After trying to open it for a few minutes, we found out that a giant lump of snow was blocking the door. "Well look at that frosty snow pile." Jack laughed as he craned his head to look out the window. I tucked my hair behind my ears and crossed my arms. "I'll try and shovel it out." I exclaimed, looking about for my snow boots. "Well let me come help you. You can't do that all by yourself." He stated, pointing to the window. "No, no. It's fine." I waved it off like it wasn't a big deal. "You can continue with your writing, I'll do this." He had a bit of concern written on his face as I slipped my feet into my snow boots that I finally found near the door. "I'll be fine." I shot him a reassuring smile and geared up, getting on my winter jacket, snow hat, and gloves. I made my way over to the back door and grabbed a black shovel that seemed like it hasn't been touched in awhile. "I'll be back in like ten minutes." I told him as I made my way out, closing my eyes as the frosty air hit my face. It stung my nose a bit and made my eyes slightly water, but I powered through it and made my way to the front doors. The snow pile was huge. Starting from the ground and reaching up to the overhang. It looked like it's been hanging on the overhang for a few hours and finally gave out, slipping over the side and blocking the door. I spent my time shoveling one side until one of the doors was finally in sight. By that time, my nose was red and my fingers slowly started to go numb. I backed up, examining my work. I smiled a little and saw a figure moving out of the corner of my eye which was coming from the window that was right next to the front door. Inside the hotel, Jack was sitting at his typewriter, typing his ideas away. At one point, he stopped and leaned back in his chair, frozen in his thoughts. He looked a bit stumped. Maybe I could help him? After all, I am starting to freeze out here. I made my way inside from the front door since it was now accessible and peeled off my snow clothes, hanging them on a rack to dry. "Hey, Jack." I smiled as I made my way over to him, the soft "pap, pap, pap" of my feet echoing throughout the hotel. I stopped in front of the table and he didn't look up, he seemed too deep in thought. "Hi." He quietly murmured out, slightly waving his hand. I debated whether I should let him write or help him... I decided to help him. "I shoveled the snow away from the door and I noticed you looked stump from the window. Need any help?" I shrugged my shoulders in a questioning manner and moved my hair out of my face. He finally looked up, his head slowly meeting my eyes. "Do I need help?" He repeated me, his head turned a bit. I was a bit confused and shrugged it off, thinking maybe he just didn't hear or something. "Yeah.." I quietly answered, nodding. His eyes looked a bit harsh today for some reason... They had a bit of a... bolder tint to them. "No, I don't need any help." He pronunciated each word clearly and I swallowed a little lump in my throat. "O-okay..." I stuttered and I backed up a little. He cleared his throat and continued to write, pressing each key carefully. "I-if you do need any help though... Just let me know." I added quietly and turned around, starting to make my way to the stairs. "Okay." He called out in almost a stern sing-song tone, pressing a few keys a little more harshly than usual. "What was that all about?" I thought about to myself, becoming a little worried. Did I do something to bother him? Once I got to my room, I took out a drawing pad I brought with me from my drawer and started to sketch a rough picture of the Overlook Hotel. I wasn't an absolutely great artist, but I always tried every now and then to master the skill.

I fell asleep a couple of hours later on the bed, my drawing pad sprawled against my stomach. I woke up to someone lightly knocking at the door and I shot up, a little pain coming from the back of my neck. "Yeah?" I sat up on my elbows, my voice dry and bit scratchy from sleeping. Jack was leaning against the door frame, hands in his pockets. "Hey, you fell asleep." His eyebrows rose with a little laugh coming from his throat. I looked around and saw the sheets disheveled and out of place. I shrugged with a smile and turned my attention back to him. Once I met his gaze, I remembered exactly what happened a few hours ago. "Hey... You okay?" I ask in a low voice and he responds with a weirdness to his voice. "Yes." His teeth grit a little and I fully sit up now, rubbing my eyes and pushing my hair back. "I... didn't mean to bother you earlier... You just looked stumped and thought you needed some help." He nodded and straightened his posture. I kept my gaze to the ground, a little nervous as to what he would say next. "It's fine." He replied in a bit of a sharper tone that usual and a quick shiver traveled down my spine. I now looked up and saw his face, he was watching me the entire time. "It's just... Whenever you talk to me while I'm writing... You're distracting me." He pointed to his temple a few times with his finger and I flinched a bit, shuffling a little on the bed. "I'm.. Sorry, Jack..." I whispered, my throat becoming dry again. "Just try not to distract me today, okay? There's a new rule." He exclaimed, letting out a huff of breath and leaving my room, making his way back down the hall. I could hear the echo of his feet as I tried to process what just happened. "Maybe he's just tired" is the only answer I could probably come up with, so I tried to avoid him for most of the day and let him work. I stayed in my room for most of the day, leaving a few times to the kitchen or bathroom. There was one time where I was making my way down the stairs to get a water bottle from the kitchen and Jack wasn't at his typewriter. I froze right when I hit the last steps of the stairs and looked around until my gaze fell upon a tall broad figure standing in front of the window. Of course, it was Jack, but he was just... standing there. I squinted my eyes a bit to get a better look and took a few steps forward. I was far enough from him so he couldn't detect me, but I could see the reflection of his face in the window. He looked... stolen, focused, lost. His eyes were staring outside to the huge piles of snow that laid on the frosty ground just outside the hotel. His eyebrows were pointed up like life amazed him in so many ways but at the same time he just looked... absorbed... in nothing. This scared me somewhat, but I didn't know what else to think of it. I tried to let it slide, but the expression on his face stayed with me... I declared that after a good night's rest and some good thoughts will refresh my mind and then I could finally talk to Jack, maybe convince him to taking a break. I was just a bit concerned for him at this point, but I tried to not think much about it. Instead that night, I got under the covers and closed my eyes, Jack's facial expression from earlier today engulfing the darkness in front of them...

 **Here's chapter three! It's a bit more interesting than chapter two but it will get better and have more of Jack's madness later on. Thank you for reading so far!**


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